A MEASURE of Paul Pogba’s development this season is that Jose Mourinho now views him as a possible future captain of Manchester United.

Paul Pogba took a while to live up to his status as the world’s most expensive player following his £89million move from Juventus in August but he is now at the top of his form.

He is making goals, scoring goals, running games and has helped to put the X-factor back into a Manchester United team unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions and bidding for a 10th straight win against Liverpool tomorrow (Sun).

Jose Mourinho thinks he has the qualities to be a future team leader when Wayne Rooney’s time comes to an end.

“He has the potential to captain,” said Mourinho. “He has the charisma, the ambition, the mentality. He is a good professional.

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Jose Mourinho believes Paul Pogba has all the attributes to be a leader

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Paul Pogba insists the Manchester United v Liverpool match is bigger than the derby with City

Being so young and with so many ingredients, I think he can.”

Pogba failed to shine in United’s games against their “top-six” rivals earlier in the season – the Manchester derby defeat by City, the embarrassing 4-0 trouncing at Chelsea and the goal-less draw with Liverpool.

But he had far more of an impact in the draw with Arsenal and the win over Tottenham and United fans are looking for a big performance tomorrow, when a victory will move them to within two points of their Merseyside rivals.

Mourinho says he just wants Pogba to be consistent and insists his form is dependent on the team’s performance.

Paul Pogba 2016/17 stats compared to last season

Fri, December 16, 2016

Click through the gallery for a comparison of Paul Pogba's stats from last season (Juventus) to this season (Man United) according to Squawka

Click through the gallery for a comparison of Paul Pogba's stats from last season (Juventus) to this season (Man United) according to Squawka

“It is not fair to say a player has to be dominant,” he said. “He is playing amazingly well, yes. No doubts about it. But the team is also playing well.

“I’m not expecting the team to play really bad and for one player to have all the weight on his shoulders, not Paul, not anyone. I expect the team to play well and Paul to be at the level he is playing now regularly.”

Pogba says his recent upturn in form has been helped by Mourinho setting him “free” on the pitch, by installing Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera as the holding midfielders and allowing him to roam.

“He told me not to listen to anybody, just be focused on the pitch and enjoy yourself,” said the France international. “That is all I am doing. He talked to me. He made me very comfortable and confident. He said, ‘you know how to play, do what you want’. He let me free on the pitch.

“He told me just to enjoy myself. That is it. That is all I need to hear from the manager.”

Pogba is well aware of the importance of a game he feels is more important to United and their fans than the Manchester derby because of the rivalry between English football’s two most successful teams. During his first spell at United he was sent off against Liverpool in a stormy FA Youth Cup tie.

“The history of Liverpool v United is a big derby – more than City because the way you feel the atmosphere is more,” he added. “It’s good to win three points against Stoke or any team in the league, but it’s even better, you have more taste, when you win three points against Liverpool because it’s a derby.”

Despite needing to close a 10-point gap on Chelsea, Pogba says United’s recent winning run has fired their belief the title is not out of reach.

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Current Man United captain Wayne Rooney is still only 31 years old

“We are not far,” said Pogba. “I know Chelsea are at the top but this is the Premier League – you never know what is going to happen. You have to keep fighting and believing.

“The team is getting better and better. We all know each other now so we feel much better than we did at the start of the season. Inside I feel we can still win the league.”

Pogba is one of the most marketable players in the world, with his ever-changing hairstyles, powerful social media team and ability to create moments of magic on the pitch.

Now his marketablility has been underlined by the fact the he has become the first footballer to be given his own ‘emoji’ by Twitter.

If he conjures up some magic in a United win tomorrow social media is likely to go into meltdown.